News Blog

A Fulton pastor with a very checkered past was arrested on October 10 by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for his connection to two recent robberies in Columbia and St. Louis.

Anthony Paine, 47, is an associate pastor at the Second Christian Church in Fulton.

Columbia Police recently identified Paine as the man who robbed a Kaldi's Coffee on October 4 by slipping through a back door an employee had left open for another employee. Paine is accused of pointing a handgun at one of the employees and demanding money before running off in the direction of a nearby parking garage.

Less than a week later, on October 10, Paine robbed a man on the 3500 block of Washington Avenue in St. Louis. According to a probably cause report, Paine shoved the man against a car, put his elbow to his neck, and demanded money. Paine left with the victim's wallet.

Second Christian Church pastor Reverend Cedric Harris told the Fulton Sun that if Paine "will be removed" from his church position if proven guilty.

Paine has a lengthy rap sheet. An SLMPD probable cause report and online court records show that he collected around a dozen criminal convictions between 1987 and 2003, including charges for burglary, fraud and larceny as well as dealing and receiving in stolen property.

Paine has been charged with First Degree Robbery and Armed Criminal Action. He is currently being held with a bond of $300,000.